Cloudbase Mayhem Podcast
- Folgen
- 285
- Erscheint
- alle zwei Wochen
- Ort
- Hailey, Idaho
- Letzte Folge
- 7. Nov. 2026
Über den Podcast
Free flight podcast hosted by Gavin McClurg
Lizenz: Cloudbase Mayhem
Folgen 285
#285 – Alex Palmaz rewinds the clock in Aspen- “It’s a good vacation if nobody dies, but everybody comes close”
Gavin talks with Alejandro Palmaz, a longtime Aspen paragliding pilot, tandem instructor, and school operator, about the mentors and characters who shaped his flying life back to the early 90's. Robbie Whittal …
Shownotes
Gavin talks with Alejandro Palmaz, a longtime Aspen paragliding pilot, tandem instructor, and school operator, about the mentors and characters who shaped his flying life back to the early 90's. Robbie Whittal, Dick Jackson, Chuck Smith, Will Gadd, Todd Bibler, Cherie Silvera, Dave Bridges...Alex recalls Aspen’s early paragliding scene, the sport’s technical evolution, the challenges of flying around busy airspace, and why experienced mentors matter for keeping new pilots safe.#284- Shackleton Aviation- Benny Abruzzo and the Balloon Flights that Changed History
Benny Abruzzo grew up inside one of the most remarkable aviation families in history. His father, Ben Sr., built the Sandia Peak Tramway, turned Albuquerque into a ballooning capital, and then — with co-pilot …
Shownotes
Benny Abruzzo grew up inside one of the most remarkable aviation families in history. His father, Ben Sr., built the Sandia Peak Tramway, turned Albuquerque into a ballooning capital, and then — with co-pilot Max Anderson — set out to do something that had never been done: cross the Atlantic Ocean in a helium balloon. They failed on the first try, nearly dying in 50-foot seas off the coast of Iceland with no survival suits, frostbitten and beaten. A week later, Ben Sr. said: "let's try it again."#283 In the Blink of an Eye with Joe Stone
On August 10th, 2010 twenty-five-year-old Joe Stone went out to take a few laps on his speed wing, something he did nearly every day. But that day didn't go as planned. Joe woke up over a month later and …
Shownotes
On August 10th, 2010 twenty-five-year-old Joe Stone went out to take a few laps on his speed wing, something he did nearly every day. But that day didn't go as planned. Joe woke up over a month later and nothing was, or would ever be- the same. This is Joe's incredible story of resilience, hope, inspiration and ultimately- gratitude. When your life goes upside down the little things become everything. This one isn't easy, but it will leave you with a profound awareness of what's possible, what's important, and what we all miss in the hidden joys of just being alive.#282 The Future of Hang Glider Design with Tim Swait
British Hang Gliding Pilot and designer/ owner of Avian Hang Gliders Tim Swait shares his long journey from aviation enthusiast to innovator in hang gliding, discussing the evolution of the sport, technical …
Shownotes
British Hang Gliding Pilot and designer/ owner of Avian Hang Gliders Tim Swait shares his long journey from aviation enthusiast to innovator in hang gliding, discussing the evolution of the sport, technical advancements, and his groundbreaking work on the seventh generation hang glider. Discover how new designs could revolutionize performance, accessibility, and the future of free flight. Hang gliders agree that the last major evolution in the sport came with the six generation topless wing in the late 90's. That's about to change.#281 Risk and Reward: Mastering Extreme Environments with Thomas Lone
Norwegian adventurer, mountaineer and pilot Thomas Lone doesn't do anything halfway. He's the youngest Norwegian to summit the Seven Summits — the highest peak on every continent — and now he's setting his …
Shownotes
Norwegian adventurer, mountaineer and pilot Thomas Lone doesn't do anything halfway. He's the youngest Norwegian to summit the Seven Summits — the highest peak on every continent — and now he's setting his sights on the 2027 Red Bull X-Alps. Meanwhile, he and his wife just welcomed their first child into the world, guide paragliding, backcountry skiing and snow kiting tours, and Thomas has quietly become one of the more formidable race-to-goal pilots on the circuit.#280 Breaking records and building robots: the future with Jeremy Soper
In this episode British hang gliding pilot Jeremy Soper shares his journey from overcoming a fear of heights to becoming a record-breaking pilot and innovative robotics entrepreneur. We explore the future of AI …
Shownotes
In this episode British hang gliding pilot Jeremy Soper shares his journey from overcoming a fear of heights to becoming a record-breaking pilot and innovative robotics entrepreneur. We explore the future of AI in physical labor, using robots to weed instead of using pesticides, the thrill of extreme flying and chasing distance around the world, including a midnight flight where the date changed, a personal call-out to other hang gliding pilots who are losing the records race to paragliders, and an optimistic view of the future of AI.#279 The ultimate flying migration with Benjamin Kellett
In this episode, adventurer and filmmaker Benjamin Kellett returns to the Mayhem by popular demand to share his rather awesome adventurous paragliding journeys across the Himalaya, Karakorum, and Europe in what …
Shownotes
In this episode, adventurer and filmmaker Benjamin Kellett returns to the Mayhem by popular demand to share his rather awesome adventurous paragliding journeys across the Himalaya, Karakorum, and Europe in what has become an annual migration. Ben discusses the challenges of high-altitude flying, gear choices, and the evolving landscape of tandem paragliding regulations and a LOT more. Discover insights into character-building expeditions, the impact of weather phenomena like the "Super" El Nino this year, and future plans for exploration. Ben chases the aesthetic of flying better than just about anyone.#278: Patagonia Convergence, Acro Mastery, and the Truth about SIV with Kris Holub
Kris Holub is one of the most versatile pilots in the American free-flight community — an accomplished acro competitor, XC pilot, and SIV/acro instructor who has spent the last four years running clinics out of …
Shownotes
Kris Holub is one of the most versatile pilots in the American free-flight community — an accomplished acro competitor, XC pilot, and SIV/acro instructor who has spent the last four years running clinics out of Oludeniz, Turkey. Gavin sat down with Kris in person during a weather day at the US Nationals in Chelan this June to talk about his extraordinary winter season in Bariloche, Argentina, where he and his friend Marcos Rosenkjer explored one of the most underrated and unknown and seriously awesome XC destinations in the world — and capped it off with a 345km convergence flight into the Patagonian desert.#277 Mastering the Skies with Chandler Papas
In this episode I sit down for a super fun chat with longtime instructor and one of the coolest cats around, Chandler Papas, the owner of Desert Wind Paragliding. Chandler shares his life-long journey into …
Shownotes
In this episode I sit down for a super fun chat with longtime instructor and one of the coolest cats around, Chandler Papas, the owner of Desert Wind Paragliding. Chandler shares his life-long journey into paragliding, the importance of good instruction, risk management, and cultivating gratitude for a safer and more fulfilling flying experience.#276 Hang Gliding Unveiled: Safety, Gear, and Growth Strategies with Erika Klein
Veteran Hang Gliding pilot Erika Klein shares her journey into the sport, the unique aspects of dune flying, and insights on safety, gear, and growing the sport. This episode offers valuable tips for beginners …
Shownotes
Veteran Hang Gliding pilot Erika Klein shares her journey into the sport, the unique aspects of dune flying, and insights on safety, gear, and growing the sport. This episode offers valuable tips for beginners and enthusiasts alike- and if you haven't hang glided will get you very keen to go prone!#275 Hike and Fly Racing, Supporting, and Having One with Ben Hodgson
South African pilot and veteran sailor Ben Hodgson has been competing in some of the most well-known and intense hike and fly races around the world for a decade, beginning with the XBerg in 2017 and then …
Shownotes
South African pilot and veteran sailor Ben Hodgson has been competing in some of the most well-known and intense hike and fly races around the world for a decade, beginning with the XBerg in 2017 and then advancing to the Bornes to Fly, X-Pyr and many others. Last year he was the main supporter for the wunderkid rookie Gabe Jansen in the Red Bull X-Alps after they met competing in a hike and fly race in Brazil.#274- Breaking Barriers: Fatemeh Eftekhari’s journey as Iran’s “Queen of the Skies” and the Power of Aviation
Have you ever imagined a woman soaring through the skies at 6,000+ meters, shattering the proverbial glass ceiling in a country where female pilots are a rare sight? Today, we delve into the remarkable story of …
Shownotes
Have you ever imagined a woman soaring through the skies at 6,000+ meters, shattering the proverbial glass ceiling in a country where female pilots are a rare sight? Today, we delve into the remarkable story of Fatemeh Eftekhari, Iran’s first female pilot and a trailblazer for women in aviation and extreme sports. Her journey is not just about flying; it's about defying societal norms, pushing boundaries, and inspiring a new generation of women to chase their dreams no matter the obstacles. In a time of enormous geopolitical tensions and societal restrictions, Fatemeh's story offers a breath of fresh air—an inspiring example of resilience, courage, and relentless pursuit of passion.#273 Elite performance, Flow States and Mindset with NBA coach and author Bret Burchard
Explore the psychology of elite performance, flow states, and mindset with Bret Burchard, former NBA coach and author of Catching Confetti, Developing the Mindset of a Champion. Discover how mental training can …
Shownotes
Explore the psychology of elite performance, flow states, and mindset with Bret Burchard, former NBA coach and author of Catching Confetti, Developing the Mindset of a Champion. Discover how mental training can transform sports, your flying, and everyday life.#272 From Zimbabwe to China to the Alps- a Paraglider’s Journey through Adventure, Trauma and Healing
Anthony Dillon learned to fly without any proper instruction back in the...
#271 Why the Sports Racing Class (SRS) is taking the Paragliding world by storm with Brett Janaway
In this conversation Brett Janaway discusses the evolution of this exciting new take on paragliding competitions, the structure and scoring of the SRS, and the unique vibe that sets it apart from traditional …
Shownotes
In this conversation Brett Janaway discusses the evolution of this exciting new take on paragliding competitions, the structure and scoring of the SRS, and the unique vibe that sets it apart from traditional events. Brett shares insights into the challenges and successes of organizing competitions, the importance of community, and the non-profit nature of the SRS, which aims to enhance the sport while providing a fun and competitive environment for pilots. We discuss the evolution of sports wings in paragliding, the impact of new safety regulations, and the balance between safety and competitiveness in the sport.#270 From the Czech Mountains to Kenyan Volcanoes: Jakub Rott’s Flying Journey
Join us as Czech pilot and last year's Czech hike and fly national champion Jakub Rott shares his journey through paragliding, speed flying, skydiving and hike and fly competitions across the globe. Discover …
Shownotes
Join us as Czech pilot and last year's Czech hike and fly national champion Jakub Rott shares his journey through paragliding, speed flying, skydiving and hike and fly competitions across the globe. Discover insights on safety, training, and the joy of flying in diverse terrain, along with some fantastic tips for aspiring pilots.#269 Navigating Doubts with Violeta Jimenez
Violeta Jiminez has become one of the most elite competition paragliders in the world in a relatively short period of time. Her first World Cup was only 5 years ago in Aksaray, Turkey flying a Zeno. Last year …
Shownotes
Violeta Jiminez has become one of the most elite competition paragliders in the world in a relatively short period of time. Her first World Cup was only 5 years ago in Aksaray, Turkey flying a Zeno. Last year she was on the podium in the OVERALL, again in Turkey, this time in Çameli. But it's been anything but easy. Violeta came to flying from a background in ballet and ultra running and as Will Gadd says, coming to flying from non-gravity sports can be not just challenging but risky. In the early years Violeta's desire was well ahead of her skills and she had a number of incidents and accidents, and one particularly violent accident that required a long mental and physical rehab.#268 Control Theory, Winning a PWC, and behind the scenes of X-Alps madness with Estefano Salgado
This episode features one of Valle De Bravo's most loved and successful pilots, Estefano Salgado. Estefano is a world-class trained chef who supported the Fra 4 team of Tanguy Renoud-Goud in the 2025 Red Bull …
Shownotes
This episode features one of Valle De Bravo's most loved and successful pilots, Estefano Salgado. Estefano is a world-class trained chef who supported the Fra 4 team of Tanguy Renoud-Goud in the 2025 Red Bull X-Alps, is one of (maybe the only?) North American pilots to win a World Cup in recent history, is an elite instructor/guide for ParaglidingGuides.com and is a wicked story-teller! In this episode Estefano discusses his experiences in competitive paragliding, putting control theory into use, team management, and the importance of training and mentorship in the sport.#267 Bivvy and Adventure Flying by HANG GLIDER with Emi Carvalho
Portuguese pilot Emi Carvalho got into hang gliding over a decade ago. Now living in Switzerland Emi is fully bi-wingual, and has instructed both hang gliding and paragliding. His passion these days is bivvy …
Shownotes
Portuguese pilot Emi Carvalho got into hang gliding over a decade ago. Now living in Switzerland Emi is fully bi-wingual, and has instructed both hang gliding and paragliding. His passion these days is bivvy flying and depending on the weather will pick the kit that fits the mission, but more often than not the kit that fits the bill to have more fun is a short-pack hang glider. It's a bit heavier (similar to a light-weight paragliding tandem set up) and a bit more bulky, but you get to fly prone! In this fun talk Emi shares his expertise with short pack hang gliders, their development, and their application in adventure flying and bivvy trips.#266 Serena Ronchi and the Comeback
In this moving conversation, Serena shares her inspiring journey of recovery after a life-changing paragliding accident and her incredible ascension once again to the top of XContest in the Sport class this …
Shownotes
In this moving conversation, Serena shares her inspiring journey of recovery after a life-changing paragliding accident and her incredible ascension once again to the top of XContest in the Sport class this year. She discusses the challenges she faced during rehabilitation, her mental battles with fear, and the strategies she employed to regain her confidence in flying. Throughout the discussion, she emphasizes the importance of addressing fear and finding joy in flying, while also contemplating the lessons learned from her accident.#265 – 8 years of Tandem bivvy’s with Dad across the entire Alps to Solo big air adventures at 16 with Martin Rejmanek
Martin Rejmanek and his father Honza, a veteran 5-time Red Bull X-Alps competitor completed the full length of the 2003 Red Bull X-Alps course from the Dachstein to Monaco by tandem bivvy using only their wing …
Shownotes
Martin Rejmanek and his father Honza, a veteran 5-time Red Bull X-Alps competitor completed the full length of the 2003 Red Bull X-Alps course from the Dachstein to Monaco by tandem bivvy using only their wing and their feet this last year. Father and son completed the amazing journey in different segments over the course of eight summers, starting when Martin was just 8 years old. Martin is now seventeen and graduated to flying solo last year, taking on the full breadth of cross country flying, SIV training and becoming a completely independent pilot. He's flown solo from Annecy to Chamonix over the Aravis chain. He's flown at over 17,000 feet over Mt Whitney in the Sierras. Inspiring to say the least.#264 – A Monster record downwind wave flight across the US with Gordon Boettger
Gordon Boettger discusses an extraordinary gliding adventure that took he and his copilot Bruce Campbell across the Rockies in mountain wave in an Arcus glider from Minden, Nevada to Dodge City, Kansas- 1112 …
Shownotes
Gordon Boettger discusses an extraordinary gliding adventure that took he and his copilot Bruce Campbell across the Rockies in mountain wave in an Arcus glider from Minden, Nevada to Dodge City, Kansas- 1112 miles on December 19th, 2025. Gordon shares his lifelong dream of soaring high (max altitude was near 28,000 feet!) and downwind in mountain wave and the technical aspects of his wild flight, including the use of night vision goggles (they took off at 0300) and the importance of very specific weather conditions to pull it off.#263 Training, Wing testing, Hike and Fly Racing, Competitions, Acro, 2 Liners, Flow, Family and more with Michael Maurer
In this wide-ranging conversation with Advance test pilot and former Swiss Champion Michael Maurer we discuss various aspects of paragliding, including the challenges and dangers of being a test pilot, the …
Shownotes
In this wide-ranging conversation with Advance test pilot and former Swiss Champion Michael Maurer we discuss various aspects of paragliding, including the challenges and dangers of being a test pilot, the influence of family on flying careers, the importance of competition, and the pursuit of flow in flying. We also touch on advancements in paragliding technology, the future of the sport in Switzerland and across the world, and the significance of training and preparation for competitions. Michael shares personal anecdotes about his experiences and reflections on his career, emphasizing the balance between risk and learning in the sport.#262 Into the Deepness with Keith Forsyth
Keith Forsyth began his flying journey with skydiving, then speed flying and wing suit base jumping but the lack of margin in speed flying and base lead him to XC Paragliding, where he's been drawing lines …
Shownotes
Keith Forsyth began his flying journey with skydiving, then speed flying and wing suit base jumping but the lack of margin in speed flying and base lead him to XC Paragliding, where he's been drawing lines across the Pacific Northwest with what can only be described as a magical and inspired paintbrush. If you haven't been to the Pacific Northwest think alpine rain forest and big, jagged glaciated mountains. Rain, lots and lots of rain. DENSE impenetrable forest, deep gorges, few roads, lots of bugs, and very few places to land. Keith has been laying down bivvy lines across the Cascade and Olympic ranges of Washington and Oregon and Coast Ranges of British Colombia the last few years that are ambitious, bold, and absolutely breathtaking. Keith waits for a good forecast, packs up to 7 days of food, sometimes adds a packraft and takes to the skies. Sometimes the mission involves some pretty memorable bushwacking, other times a glorious paddle out and some fishing along the way, other times he'll find himself top landing an alpine meadow and sharing some space with a black bear.#261 Soaring for smiles with Bonnie Hobson
Bonnie Hobson grew up in the midwest in the midst of endless cornfields, watching her neighbor fly his little bush plane. But soaring wasn't on her radar. Then in 2009 after a break-up and feeling like her life …
Shownotes
Bonnie Hobson grew up in the midwest in the midst of endless cornfields, watching her neighbor fly his little bush plane. But soaring wasn't on her radar. Then in 2009 after a break-up and feeling like her life needed a shift she bought a one-way ticket to Hawaii. She saw some paragliders in the air, took a tandem and made a new life, and a new home. From the moment her feet left the ground Bonnie knew her future would be filled with chasing flying. Skydiving, paragliding, hang gliding, speed flying, paramotoring, parakites- if it's flyable, Bonnie is in the air.#260 On top of the World with Fabian Buhl
German alpinist Fabian Buhl comes from a background of climbing and mountaineering and is credited with ascending some of the hardest routes on Earth. A few years ago while climbing in the Karakoram of Pakistan …
Shownotes
German alpinist Fabian Buhl comes from a background of climbing and mountaineering and is credited with ascending some of the hardest routes on Earth. A few years ago while climbing in the Karakoram of Pakistan Fabian saw the potential of using a paraglider to access difficult objectives and removing the often long and dangerous approaches by foot. So he became a pilot. But his early attempts were scary and learning was slow and often frustrating. Fabi stuck with it and returned to the Karakoram with enough skill to pull off some solid objectives but he knew to truly take advantage of these "combos" of climbing and flying, and also to be safer he needed to hone his thermalling and XC skills. Fabian's journey from climbing to paragliding highlights the importance of mentorship, the challenges of overcoming fear, and the thrill of mastering a new sport.#259 Pete Thompson cracks the 300 FAI in Colorado’s Deepness
Pete Thompson had a hell of a summer in Colorado. After years of planning and trying to fly big, epic FAI triangles across the highest terrain in the lower 48 he finally beat a record set only last year by …
Shownotes
Pete Thompson had a hell of a summer in Colorado. After years of planning and trying to fly big, epic FAI triangles across the highest terrain in the lower 48 he finally beat a record set only last year by Galen Kirkpatrick when he put down a 275 km FAI in early August. A week later he went even bigger with a 292. Then just two days later he did it again, this time cracking the vaunted 300 for the first time in North America with a 305 km perfectly drawn FAI across some serious Colorado deepness. Pete shares his journey in the sport which began in the early 2000's, including his recent vol-biv across the state and flying competitions and tandems.#258- Ariel Zlatkovski and Project 100: the Ultimate XC Challenge
This past XContest season (2025) Ariel Zlatkovski decided to take on a fantastically bold and totally mind-bending mission: Fly 100, 100km flights in a single season. To pull it off he'd have to spend a full …
Shownotes
This past XContest season (2025) Ariel Zlatkovski decided to take on a fantastically bold and totally mind-bending mission: Fly 100, 100km flights in a single season. To pull it off he'd have to spend a full 10% of his hours on Earth flying (nearly 20% of daylight hours), he'd cover 12,000 kilometers of open distance, and rack up 893 hours in the sky. He'd live the entire year away from home in India, Colombia and the Alps and while one imagines this would be most pilot's dream year, it was often lonely, and often very intense. Much of it was a real grind and subjected Ariel to too much risk. Ariel shares his rather obsessive journey into paragliding, how Project 100 took hold, and the challenges and emotional highs and lows he faced along the way.#257- Chrigel Maurer and the Safety Debate
Two weeks ago at the World Championships in Costelo, Brazil a competition pilot was killed. This tragedy sparked an immediate and fiery response on social media calling for a top-down change at CIVL, the …
Shownotes
Two weeks ago at the World Championships in Costelo, Brazil a competition pilot was killed. This tragedy sparked an immediate and fiery response on social media calling for a top-down change at CIVL, the governing body of Category 1 competitions. Interestingly, two years ago during the World's in France there were over a dozen incidents, many which lead to serious injuries...but the blame was more sequestered to the pilots ability and decision-making, not the organization. Last week Chrigel sent me an 8 minute voicemail during a training session laying out his own personal thoughts on this charged debate. So we made an effort to sit down immediately and discuss it all without all of the online emotion.#256 From Newbie to the Red Bull X-Alps with Sebrand Warren
Sebrand Warren got his start paragliding just a few short years ago in the US but got hooked immediately and set his sights on the ultimate challenge- the Red Bull X-Alps. Last year he dedicated himself 110% to …
Shownotes
Sebrand Warren got his start paragliding just a few short years ago in the US but got hooked immediately and set his sights on the ultimate challenge- the Red Bull X-Alps. Last year he dedicated himself 110% to the race by moving his life, job, and girlfriend to France to learn the intricacies of the Alps and the relentless physical training that is required to compete. In this episode we discuss the challenges and experiences surrounding the Red Bull X-Alps, including Sebrand's recovery from a serious injury that happened just days after the race ended, the mental challenges faced during the race, and the importance of team dynamics.
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